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Neighbours said she was a friendly woman who would often be seen with her dog, a terrier.

The handbag was found by a member of the public in a street in Newcastle city centre, at 4.30pm on the same day. It was handed in to police, who found the owner’s details inside.

Miss Richardson was found dead at home at around 6.45pm. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Young, of Northumbria Police, said: ‘This has been a brutal attack on an elderly woman in a quiet community.

‘What I will suggest is that the evidence indicates that there has been some kind of motive of either robbery or burglary.’

Quiet community: Police found Miss Richardson's body when they tried to return her stolen handbag

A post-mortem examination revealed that Miss Richardson had died from head injuries.

Police said they had not yet established if anything had been taken from her handbag, but have recovered her mobile phone.

Superintendent Frank Gallop said: ‘We are trying to contact anybody who has travelled between Newcastle and Hexham on Friday afternoon, whether by bus, train or taxi.’

He said the victim was ‘a wonderful woman from a very small family, who are devastated by her loss’.

Relatives said in a statement: ‘This has been a devastating loss and we are all in a state of shock. Judith was a wonderful person and we all loved her dearly.’

Local residents paid tribute to her yesterday. Teacher Maggie Coombe, 48, said: ‘She was a very sweet old lady, she walked very slowly and hesitantly and spoke with a stammer. I don’t think she would have had much of a chance against an attacker.’